Beyond Cohesion: Toward a Theory of Coherence

If coherence is the sine qua non of nearly all written communication, why do we not have a comprehensive treatment of it, especially for those who study or teach formal, academic writing? Beyond Cohesion: Toward a Theory of Coherence builds on the seminal work of Halliday and Hasan and offers a comprehensive treatment of coherence along three lines—linguistic, cognitive, and culturally salient—using close linguistic argument and several illustrative figures. While the main audience is that of graduate studies in rhetoric and composition, those working in linguistics, language and cognition, and artificial intelligence will also benefit from this approach.

Beyond Cohesion: Toward a Theory of Coherence is a fascinating, thorough, and highly useful investigation into a rhetorical concept that is often referenced, but rarely systematically studied. Synthesizing theories of coherence from rhetoric and composition, linguistics, psychology, and related fields, Frank Davis provides a wide-ranging, interdisciplinary resource for those beginning their study of coherence or looking to expand it.

—Amanda Sladek, Associate Professor of English, University of Nebraska at Kearney